


The Injury

by Firondoiel



Series: Recovery [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Art, Drama, Gen, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Major Character Injury, Qui-Gon Jinn Lives, Worried Qui-Gon, Written for the QuiObi Writing Discord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25678351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firondoiel/pseuds/Firondoiel
Summary: Naboo turns out differently for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, sending both of their lives in a direction neither one of them could have imagined.
Relationships: Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Recovery [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862353
Comments: 28
Kudos: 413





	1. The Injury

**Author's Note:**

> This series is a collaborative effort by the members of the QuiObi Writing Discord. 
> 
> Updates will be posted every other Sunday.

Clean black and white lines stretched from the domed roof of the Theed Plasma Refinery to the never-ending bottom of the extracting shaft. It made the bright flashes of color from the three lightsabers that were twirling and clashing together seem more intense against the bleak surroundings. It accentuated how everything was moving quickly. 

So quickly that it was difficult to process the impact of a blade and then anticipate the next move, but Qui-Gon still spared a small part of his focus for the training bond with his padawan. Obi-Wan was fighting well, but something seemed off. As always, their connection flowed easily and symbiotically, allowing them to sense each other and form plans of attack as they fought. However, during this fight, perhaps the most dangerous of their lives, Obi-Wan was concealing something.

It was unsettling. Obi-Wan was open enough that Qui-Gon could feel how much effort he was putting into shielding this one area. He thought of the strange tension that had been between them since meeting with the Council, but it was very unlike Obi-Wan to allow something like that to come between them in such a dire situation.

Qui-Gon ducked as the Sith spun and sliced his red blade towards Qui-Gon’s head. He felt its singeing heat scorch past his ear, but Qui-Gon remained calm and deftly brought up his own saber to block the second blade as the Sith completed his turn. 

All he could do was send Obi-Wan a caution to not allow distractions before the fight again demanded his full attention. 

They were being led. It was obvious that the Sith had somewhere in particular that he wanted to herd them, but Obi-Wan was pushing back boldly, making their opponent work hard for every step. 

The walkway was perilously narrow, but the Force surrounded them, balancing them as they fought. Qui-Gon also called on the Force for strength. Obi-Wan and their dark opponent were both younger and favoured very acrobatic techniques. He could keep pace for now, but the Sith was battling two of them and showed no signs of fatigue. 

Despite the fierce determination on Obi-Wan’s face, he was starting to be steadily pushed back. They were just over halfway to the opposite side of the shaft when Obi-Wan leapt over both of them and smoothly completed a flip to land on his feet behind Qui-Gon. He had not alerted Qui-Gon of this action. He seemed to have purposefully kept it hidden. Even now, Qui-Gon received no indication of intent from Obi-Wan.

The confusion caused him to falter. Just barely, but it was enough. The Sith kicked out, and his boot slammed into Qui-Gon’s face. Qui-Gon stumbled. Before he could correct himself, he slipped over the side and hurtled towards the walkway far below. 

He pulled the Force around him. It cushioned his fall enough that the impact where he landed on his shoulder left him unharmed, but still flung him over the edge. His hands latched onto the side of the walkway to keep him from falling any further. The crisp crackling of lightsaber blades resounded furiously above him. 

_Hold your position. Wait for me. ___

__Obi-Wan didn’t answer. It was possible he was struggling to match the Sith without Qui-Gon’s aid. But that odd cloaked area of their bond chafed against Qui-Gon’s senses._ _

__Qui-Gon recovered his breath and reached out to the Force. It propelled him from dangling over the edge to standing firmly on his feet in the center of the walkway. He summoned his weapon back to his hand and looked up._ _

__The dueling figures were farther away than he had expected. Obi-Wan was hotly driving his opponent backwards towards the end of their walkway. The same way they were being led earlier. The Sith willingly ceded his ground._ _

__Qui-Gon’s brow furrowed. He sent a stern question to Obi-Wan. No response._ _

__He huffed an annoyed breath through his nose, then used the Force to make the leap upwards. It again guided him safely._ _

__His feet had barely touched the floor before he was racing towards the fight. Towards Obi-Wan. The deep trust between them had been carefully and painfully built, but Qui-Gon was beginning to wonder if his apprentice had gone mad._ _

__The pair reached the first of several laser gates that opened just as they approached, and their battle continued uninterrupted down the hallway. It was just as narrow as the walkway, but the walls made it very confining. Highly dangerous. Not suited to Obi-Wan’s athletic fighting style._ _

__Qui-Gon ran faster._ _

__He was gaining on them. Then the laser gates snapped shut one by one. Obi-Wan and the Sith were at the front, thankfully with a gate between them. Qui-Gon made it past the first gate before it hissed closed behind him. His gaze burned ahead into Obi-Wan’s back._ _

_Padawan, what are you doing?_

__He didn’t try to soften the severity of his tone. Obi-Wan was more than ready to take on Knighthood, but it had been generations since a Jedi had faced a Sith one-on-one. And if Obi-Wan had just listened to him, he wouldn’t have to be doing it alone now._ _

__Obi-Wan didn’t take his eyes away from the prowling Sith. His shoulders were set, and his body was coiled with tension as he readied himself to spring into action as soon the cycle restarted._ _

__For a moment, Qui-Gon thought he was going to continue to be ignored, but then reassurance brushed against his mind followed by a gentle touch of affection._ _

__Qui-Gon started. It was no secret that he and Obi-Wan shared a very close bond, even for a Master and Padawan. He loved Obi-Wan very dearly, and he knew Obi-Wan cared for him as well. But this response disturbed him more than any of the oddities that had come before it. His surprise only cost him a second of hesitation, but before he could give form to his racing thoughts, the laser gates started to open._ _

__And Obi-Wan’s shields slammed shut, leaving Qui-Gon on the outside, not daring to distract his padawan by pushing against the block as the fight resumed. They moved into the chamber and out of his sight._ _

__The wall before him parted, and he was running again. If he counted right, he had maybe five seconds to make it to the end._ _

__He had to make it._ _

__But the hallway was long and the final gate closed mere inches from his face._ _

__Qui-Gon growled in frustration. He repressed the violent urge to uselessly drive his saber into the mocking laser gate before him and released that emotion into the Force._ _

__The electron wall that separated him from the fight covered the rapidly moving figures in a harsh red haze. It highlighted the red of the Sith’s blade and sharply contrasted the bright red of his skin against the dark black of his tattoos. Even Obi-Wan’s light blue saber looked red._ _

__Everything was red._ _

__Qui-Gon stood perfectly still as he watched, his eyes tracking every move of their duel. He knew that he should take these precious seconds to meditate and center himself, but the silence from the bond with Obi-Wan was frightening._ _

__Because the Force was screaming._ _

__The seconds passed. Each one longer than the last, but the gate would be opening in twenty seconds._ _

__Obi-Wan’s motions suddenly became more swift, more daring. There was still control, but the precision wasn’t as strong. He was trying to force the Sith to take the offensive. It was foolish when he knew he had support coming._ _

__Fifteen more seconds._ _

__The Sith smiled. Dark and evil. He easily parried the blows and taunted Obi-Wan with his cruel smirk. Qui-Gon gripped his blade, ready to ignite it. Ready to spring forward into action._ _

__Ten seconds._ _

__Another strike. Another block._ _

_Nine_

__Another spin from the Sith. The dual-blades cut dangerously close to Obi-Wan._ _

_Eight_

__Obi-Wan evaded the blades, but the Force still cried out a warning. This was wrong. It was all wrong._ _

_Seven_

__Their blades clashed again. Obi-Wan knocked the Sith’s lightsaber to the right. It was a small opening. Obi-Wan moved in close. Too close. It was an amateur mistake._ _

_Six_

__Obi-Wan’s blade shoved through the Sith’s left shoulder and carved to the side, severing the arm. The Sith howled._ _

_Five_

__It was a damaging hit, but not fatal. Obi-Wan was now within easy range of his opponent. And he was completely exposed._ _

_Four--_

__The Sith flipped up his blade and one-handedly jabbed it into the center of Obi-Wan’s unprotected stomach._ _

__Qui-Gon heard himself yell his padawan’s name. Obi-Wan’s eyes widened in shock. The blade was pulled from his body, and he crumpled to the ground. His shields fell. Harrowing pain lanced through Qui-Gon as the Force rose to a deafening wail._ _

__Not content with his deadly blow. Enraged over the loss of his arm. The Sith stood over Obi-Wan and raised his lightsaber._ _

__The gates opened._ _

__The Sith’s red saber arched down towards Obi-Wan’s neck, intending to remove his head. It was met by a green blade and a Force shove that hurled it back._ _

__Qui-Gon’s gaze bored into the Sith as angry yellow eyes flashed upwards to meet his. Pure hatred and fury echoed in the Force, but Qui-Gon felt the strength of the Force’s grief rush through him, filling him with a powerful light._ _

__The Sith’s hand was tightening on the hilt of his blade, but Qui-Gon was faster. He let that potent energy guide him as his lightsaber sliced through the center of Sith’s weapon, cleaving it in two. His blade continued forward and swept cleanly through the Sith’s torso, slashing it in two as well._ _

__Qui-Gon didn’t watch the life leave those raging eyes or the Sith topple over into the melting pit. He immediately dropped to his knees beside the fallen body of his apprentice and gathered him into his arms._ _

__“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan’s voice was weak._ _

__“No,” Qui-Gon shook his head. He ran one hand through Obi-Wan’s hair and then lowered it to cup the side of his pain-lined face. He didn’t know what he was denying: Obi-Wan’s apology or something else unspeakable. After he probed at the injury through the Force, his denial grew._ _

__“I had to do it,” Obi-Wan wheezed hoarsely as he struggled for each breath, “It needed to be this way.”_ _

__Qui-Gon pulled him closer. A tightness formed in his chest. “Don’t worry about that right now,” He wanted to be gentle, but dread swelled inside him. It was so strong that he almost choked on it, and it made his words brusque._ _

__“You’re not hurt?” Obi-Wan touched his mind, looking for injuries. One of his hands pressed against Qui-Gon’s stomach, right over where the horrifying stab wound was burned into his own body._ _

__“I’m doing better than you are at present,” Qui-Gon tried to smile. Tried to keep his rising terror from showing. His probe had told him that there wasn’t much time left._ _

__“Good,” Peace settled in Obi-Wan’s eyes, and he smiled back, relieved._ _

__Qui-Gon could feel him trembling as his body started to fail him. He slowly ran his thumb along Obi-Wan’s cheek. A single tear trailed down the paling skin. Qui-Gon wiped it away. He directed healing energy to flow from him into Obi-Wan. It seemed to be enough to ease the agony a little from the way Obi-Wan slightly relaxed into his arms._ _

__Obi-Wan turned his face into Qui-Gon’s palm, and his eyes drifted shut._ _

__The Force had fallen quiet. Now it surged around them again, but it was no longer weeping._ _

“No. _No!_ ” Adrenaline and resolve replaced the paralyzing fear in Qui-Gon. He grabbed Obi-Wan’s chin and tilted his head up, “Obi-Wan, look at me.” 

__Obi-Wan struggled, but obediently managed to raise his eyelids halfway. His eyes were glazing over as they stared at Qui-Gon._ _

__“That’s it. That’s good,” Qui-Gon slid his arm under Obi-Wan’s legs. This was going to be painful for Obi-Wan, but the Force was insistent. It commanded Qui-Gon to move._ _

__But he paused. He lowered his forehead to lightly rest against Obi-Wan’s for just a moment._ _

_Don’t let go._

__Then he stood. He no longer felt his former weariness or needed to call on the Force for strength as he lifted his padawan. The soft, broken cry from Obi-Wan as his injured body was jostled tore at Qui-Gon. But he carefully cradled Obi-Wan against his chest, listened to the Force, and started to run._ _


	2. Art

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazing art by Orientalld for this story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new installment in this series is coming next Sunday!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Here is my [Tumblr](http://www.firondoiel.tumblr.com) if you would like to follow me. =)


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